AN inspirational slimmer has urged others not to give up after she lost seven stones in weight and changed her life.

 Tracy Wright, 54, said her journey had had its ups and downs, with her even ending up in hospital at one point.

Tracy first joined Slimming World in 2012 and lost a stone before she plateaued and left.

She said: “Members believe they can’t lose weight because they failed on previous journeys.

“The worst thing I did was to walk away the first time because I put all that weight back on and more.”

Tracy, who was once a size 24, moved on to other methods of losing weight including lotions and potions which landed her in the hospital at one point with an ailment the doctors could not diagnose.

This led to her going back to the proven strategy of Slimming World in August 2014 and from there she has never looked back.

From Tracy’s point of view, Slimming World was more manageable than anything else she had tried.

She added: “I knew I could only lose weight on a sustainable plan where I could eat food.

“I was eating like a horse, enjoying roast dinners, burgers and chips, all cooked without adding fat.

 “The group support was essential, it meant I was not alone and they helped me put a plan in place each week.

 “Making great choices at home and when I was eating out meant the remaining weight was falling off me.”

Tracy, from Clacton, highlights the mental side of losing weight as well as the physical. She said she had two breakdowns during her journey and pointed out the importance of her group in getting her out of the slump.

She said: “The one place I wanted to be after this breakdown was in group, as I knew there would be no judgement.”

Tracy is now a Slimming World consultant.

She added: “With support from family, friends and Slimming World, I’ve turned around my life. “I walked away from a £50,000 a year job with nothing. It was my best decision and I have never looked back.”